


...And Go Dancing in the Rain

by phoenixianCrystallist



Series: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29183871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixianCrystallist/pseuds/phoenixianCrystallist
Summary: A little oversight never hurt anybody, right? Who knew the simple oops of forgetting your umbrella would lead to you getting one of your secret wishes fulfilled.
Relationships: Ignis Scientia/Reader
Series: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1964533
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	...And Go Dancing in the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> I don't normally do things for character birthdays, but it's Iggy's on Feb 7th and this has been waiting patiently for me to finish it up, so here we are! Happy early birthday, Ignis 💜

"Again."

You wiped sweat off of your chin and stared up at the man before you. He looked totally unfazed. Calm, cool, collected, not a hair out of place. The only hint that he'd been getting any kind of workout was the steady rise and fall of his chest, deeper than usual but not noticeably so—unless you knew what to look for. And you did. Ignis stared down at you, green eyes cool and impassive as he waited for you to get back up.

"I'm about spent, Iggy," you protested through your own labored breathing. Ignis had the gall to smirk at you.

"But not spent yet," he pointed out. "We're not finished until you can no longer stand."

Sheesh. What a ruthless taskmaster. You hauled yourself to your feet and settled into a defensive stance. The smirk he wore eased into a grin as Ignis settled into his own battle stance. You barely had enough time to register that grin before Ignis lunged, left hand dagger leading, and you were forced to ignore everything else in favor of preventing him from slicing you to ribbons.

Three exchanges of blows later, you landed on your back. Again. Ignis straddled you with a blade to your throat. Your only consolation to getting your ass kicked— _again_ —was the fact that one small lock of hair now dangled in Ignis's eyes. You'd done it. You'd given him a good enough run that you'd marred that smug perfection of his. Didn't negate the numb-yet-tingly feeling in your hands from how Ignis had disarmed you, but it was better than the nothing you'd been getting out of these sparring matches.

"Spent?" Ignis asked, cheerful and teasing. The jerk.

"Tapped," you groaned. You slapped the ground with your open palm twice, literally tapped out.

Ignis chuckled and dismissed his daggers as he got to his feet. You wished, you _wished_ , that you had the strength to knock his feet out from under him right now. It would serve him right. But no, you really were exhausted. At least the stone floor leached the heat right out of you.

Ignis held out his hand to help you up, which you accepted gladly. You groaned as you stood; every muscle in you ached from the exercise. A hot bath was on the menu tonight. Maybe some ibuprofen.

"You've improved," Ignis informed you with a smile. "You still favor your left side and need work on your spatial awareness, but today has been a marked improvement over previous sessions. Have you been practicing in secret?"

"No," you said, trying not to glow under his praise, such that it was. "Just doing those solo exercises you had Gladio teach me."

"Excellent. Let's get some cool-down stretches in, then you may be on your way."

You did as was suggested and stretched your aching muscles. It helped so much that by the time you were done you'd revised your order of operations for the evening to just the hot bath, no pain killers necessary. A hot soak after those stretches would feel so _good_ ; you almost couldn't wait to get home.

Once you were done with your stretches you and Ignis returned to your lockers and changed into your day clothes. Afterwards you began to make your way home. But at the entrance to the Citadel, you stopped in your tracks and frowned at the plaza before you.

It was dark, streetlights the only illumination other than the occasional flash of lightning in the distance. You hadn't realized you'd sparred with Ignis for so long. To make matters worse, rain poured from the sky in thick sheets. And you without your umbrella. Oh well, no hope for it. It was only a few blocks to your apartment and that rain didn't look like it was going to let up any time soon. Time to get wet.

You pushed open the door, the smell of petrichor hit you, and a voice behind you caught your attention as Ignis called your name. Door still open, you hesitated and turned back to see Ignis headed your way, umbrella in hand.

"Forget your umbrella?" he asked mildly. You bit your lip and glared at the wet plaza.

"I didn't know it was going to rain," you admitted. "Guess that's what I get for not checking the weather."

"It does seem a bit of an oversight," Ignis agreed. That was one thing you liked about him; he didn't mince words. "I can walk you home, if you'd like. My umbrella should be big enough for the both of us."

You laughed a little and accepted the offer. He may have been a perfect, smug bastard in the training room, but outside of it he was never anything less than a gentleman. You wanted to get to know that side of him more, so you struck up conversation with him, asked him a few leading questions to get him to talk about himself.

The two of you already had the basics down about each other; favorite foods, favorite colors, what did you want to be when you grew up, yadda yadda yadda. So you asked slightly more personal questions this time. Nothing gross or prying, just things like weirdest childhood injury or favorite pet. To your surprise and endless amusement, his answer to "favorite pet" was a very teasing "what do I need a pet for when I have Noct?" He actually had to stop while you laughed; that had not been an answer you'd expected and it had caught you by surprise.

"I think it's my turn to ask a few questions," Ignis said while you got yourself under control.

"Okay, sure," you agreed, because what was the fun of getting to know each other if you were the only one who learned anything? Time to share! He turned the tables on you and asked you the same questions you'd been asking him. You answered all of them, of course. But he surprised you with a question you hadn't sprung on him once in all the time you'd known him.

"What is something you've always wanted to do but never had the chance?"

You figured he probably meant something spectacular, like visit Altissia or go backpacking through Tenebrae, but your answer was simple. So simple Ignis actually looked taken aback by it.

"I've always wanted to dance with someone in the rain," you admitted. Ignis stared at you for a moment before he put his attention back to where he was walking.

"With anyone in particular, or...?" he asked, his voice trailing off at the end. Something smelled like fish, but you couldn't place your finger on what exactly.

"I mean, kind of? Not like, I know exactly by name who," except that you did, "just... I dunno, I've always imagined whoever I was dancing with was my date, you know?"

"I can't relate," Ignis admitted. "The idea had never occurred to me."

"You just don't watch enough cheesy romcoms."

"I would say that zero is enough for me, thanks." That should have stung—from anyone else it would have felt judgmental—but the way he smiled at you and the obvious tease in his voice just made you laugh. You two kept walking in companionable silence for awhile until you realized he'd run out of questions to ask. That meant it was your turn again.

"What about you?" you asked.

"Hm?"

"Is there anything you've always wanted to do but never got the chance?"

"Ah," Ignis said, then pursed his lips as he thought about it. "I'm not sure. I can't think of anything, or at least nothing I won't have an opportunity for in the future."

"I mean mine I'll have future opportunities for," you said, with a silent "I hope" at the end.

"True." Ignis opened his mouth to say something more when you both noticed a road and sidewalk closed ahead for what looked like a water main repair. "Oh, dear."

"Aw, man!" you groaned when you realized just _which_ road and sidewalk were closed. "They blocked off my apartment!"

"Sorry folks," called the foreman—you assumed it was the foreman—when he spotted you. "Area's closed off until we get this fixed. Shouldn't be more'n about four hours."

"Does your apartment have a back door?" Ignis asked.

"Yeah," you said with an almost defeated sigh, "but the lock's busted and it won't open. Paul said they won't get the replacement in 'til next week."

"That's unfortunate," Ignis said. "Well, my apartment isn't too far from here. If you'd like to come over while you wait out the repair, I'd be delighted to have you."

You stared at him for a bit before you felt your face start to grin without your permission.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Ignis lead you down a series of streets you were less than familiar with. You rarely went in this direction; mostly you traveled between home and work, home and groceries, and home and friends, all of which were not in the direction Ignis lived. He cut through a park you'd never known was there, but you made mental note of it so you could come back and visit later. It was lovely, filled with flower beds and water features. You wanted to see it in full daylight instead of the pseudo-twilight misty drizzle the rainstorm had turned into.

"I have an idea," Ignis said as you passed one of the lit fountains in the middle of a cobblestone plaza. The fountain was rimmed with ferns and flowering bushes that lent a nice perfume to the air. He folded the umbrella and set it against the rim of the fountain, turned to you, bowed, and held out his hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, his green eyes boring into yours and a gentle smile on his face. To be fair, that smile bordered on a smirk, and when your face heated with a blush that smirk only became more pronounced.

"What?" you asked. You felt your heart pounding in your chest. Ignis repeated his question. You repeated yours, only with a whole lot more confusion this time. Ignis's smirk eased back into that gentle smile of his and he stood from his bow.

"You did confess earlier that you'd always wanted to dance in the rain," he said. "And though I know I'm surely not the 'date' you had envisioned, I would be honored if you would allow me to help your dream come true."

Your heart skipped a beat and somehow Ignis must have noticed that, because his smile widened into something that was almost a grin, and he bowed and held out his hand again.

"May I have this dance?" he asked for the third time. You couldn't speak, you were so stunned, but you nodded and placed your hand in his. _Now_ Ignis grinned and he pulled you close, settled one hand on your waist while the other held your hand. For a moment you almost forgot how to breathe, but you forced air into your lungs anyway while Ignis lead you in a slow waltz.

It was magical. Raindrops dotted his shoulders and clung to his face, his glasses, his hair, like tiny diamonds that sparkled in the fountain's illumination. If he minded getting a little damp, he did an amazing job of pretending he didn't. The gentle pitter-patter of the drizzling rain felt cool against your skin, a sharp contrast with the warmth of Ignis's body pressed against yours. You watched his grin ease and settle into a soft, gentle smile that somehow radiated more joy and contentment than that grin ever could have. It was almost surprising how easy it was to match your steps to his, to follow his flow and rhythm. As if you two had been dance partners for years. You moved as one, _breathed_ as one. After a few moments, it felt like you _were_ one.

And you never wanted it to end.

"As I was about to say," Ignis said after several long, heavenly minutes, "before we were so rudely interrupted by construction, there is one dream I've had for some time now."

"Oh?" you asked, curious despite how much you wanted to just lose yourself in the dance. Ignis hummed and sent you into a graceful spin before he elaborated.

"There is someone I quite fancy, you see," he admitted as you settled back into his arms. "Smart, brave, capable, a delight to speak to no matter the subject. Even ones I don't particularly care for, I always delight in simply listening to this person speak. I find myself constantly seeking their company and find myself unwilling to separate when we are together. Earlier today, I realized that I push the both of us far beyond what I would normally in our sparring matches, just so I don't have to say goodbye."

"Wait—" So far as you knew, Ignis only had three sparring partners: yourself, Gladio, and Prompto. Very rarely Prince Noctis, since Gladio was in charge of Noct's training anyway. Gladio had even mentioned the other day that he wished Ignis would let up on your training for a little bit so he _could_ spar with Noct more often. That, plus the fact that he regularly ran you into the ground when he didn't typically do that with anyone else— "You don't mean—?"

"I do mean you, yes."

That floored you so hard you missed a step in your dance. Ignis caught you as you stumbled and made sure you were stable before he stepped back. You stared at him in shock; sure, you'd daydreamed he might fall for you, but you never actually thought he would! He was too devoted to his duty, to _Noct_ , you had no idea there was room in his life or in his heart for a romantic interest. You'd resigned yourself to pining, and _now_ he told you _he'd been doing the same thing?_ Your mouth worked for a minute while your brain tried to catch up with reality and convert your stunned silence into language. Meanwhile, Ignis just stood there, with all the patience in the world, while he waited for you to find your words.

"Why didn't you _say_ anything?" you asked. Ignis crossed his arms over his chest and thought about it.

"Partially because I believed that you were already involved with someone else," he admitted. "I can't fathom why you wouldn't already be in a relationship if you so desired; anyone you fancied would be lucky to have you. But the other day, when you'd oh so casually mentioned your single status... well, I needed time to convince myself that I _wouldn't_ ruin our friendship were I to confess."

There had been nothing casual about you telling Ignis you were single. It had been meant as a less than subtle hint that if he was interested, you were, too. When he hadn't immediately acted on it, you'd figured your "too duty-bound to date" assessment was accurate. That's when you'd fully resigned yourself to pining. But now you thought you might have been _too_ subtle.

"I don't think you _could_ ruin our friendship, Iggy," you found yourself saying. "I— I thought you weren't interested in general, so I didn't push, because _I_ didn't want to ruin anything!"

Ignis looked surprised for a split second before he smiled, shook his head in what looked like disbelief, and chuckled.

"What a pair we make," he said. He opened his mouth to say something else, but thunder growled and reminded the both of you that weather was a thing and it still had business here in Insomnia. Ignis eyed the sky, as did you, only to see the clouds above growing thicker and darker again. "Here, let's get inside. My apartment is just on the other side of this park; we can finish talking on the way."

"Sounds good," you agreed. Ignis grabbed his umbrella and opened it just as the first fat drop of another heavy downpour hit the ground. You were at his side in an instant, and he held his arm out for you to take. It was all you could do not to snuggle up to his side—that would make walking difficult—but you wrapped your arm around his and reveled in it.

Despite the fact that he'd said you two would keep talking on the way, he stayed silent as you walked. You waited for him to say something, but a glance up at his face showed a light frown. He was thinking hard about something, so you continued to wait. But as time dragged on and the high-rise apartment building came into view through the park's trees, you started to get antsy.

"So—" you said, just when Ignis started to speak, too.

"My apologies," Ignis said. "Please continue."

"I was about to ask what was on your mind, actually," you admitted. Ignis chuckled.

"Quite a bit," he said. "Largely I'm trying to find the appropriate words to ask you out tomorrow night."

"Typically people say 'would you like to go out tomorrow night?'" you couldn't help but tease.

"Why yes, I would love to," Ignis answered with a grin. You gaped up at him, surprised by this turn of events.

"You smooth bastard," you said, and he somehow managed to look smug about it despite the playful, teasing grin still on his face.


End file.
